i knew somebody would make a dumb comment like that as soon as i saw the headline

What's dumb about that? The ICR could take tissue sample and find out the cause of death. Maybe there is something toxic in Tokyo bay, or maybe the government would prefer not to release such information.

@mr sushi. It would be much better for scientific research if they knew why this whale was found dead in Tokyo bay.
Unlike their perfectly healthy and free counterparts being slaughtered now in the Antarctic, which die from a harpoon, this one may have chosen to beach itself in the bay which begs a reason.

The comments above raise an interesting question. Just how much whale research does Japan do around its own territorial waters? Cost-wise, it would be far more efficient to research whales locally, or is Japan's whaling research really only focused on restarting commercial whaling, hence all that expense to travel to the other end of the world. It would be an interesting stat to know as it really would reveal how genuine Japan is in regard to this research.

donkusai, whale research has been undertaken in both the north pacific and southern ocean for many years. Gathering suitable data to help facilitate the commercial whaling resumption is an important objective in both cases, of course.
This case is likely ship strike. Ship strike is the greatest threat to whale populations in the world, and why some species like the Northern Right Whale off the coast of the USA is endangered. Unfortunately eco-terrorist groups distract well-meaning people from this conservation issue with their unnecessary focus on conservative whaling activities.

Whale killing for reseach is BS. What other animal species are studied by slaughtering them? As for the one in Tokyo bay... how about all that radiation released into the ocean by Fukushima. Ship strikes are less a problem than the noisey ships themselves especially the hugh tankers.

donkusai they don't do research around the main islands of Japan because the water temperatures are too warm for whales to grow the extra layers of fat needed to make the sushi taste all that much better.

ihope2eatwhales - whale research has been undertaken in both the north pacific and southern ocean for many years. Gathering suitable data to help facilitate the commercial whaling resumption is an important objective in both cases, of course.

You didn't finish the statement! Their research showed there are not sufficient numbers of whales left in the northern pacific to hunt whales commercially, hence their trips down south.

My guess would be the whale was hit by a ship. Fin whales are the slowest of the whales and are somewhat 'donkusai'. :D

Hey - whales in Tokyo bay - I guess the whaling fleet can just start making their way back here - they can do their research " nice and close to home then. Saves a whole lot of money that can go to Tohoku, ne?

Officials were unable to say how the whale’s carcass got into Tokyo Bay.

Swam pre-death or washed in on the tide post-mortem would be reasonable guesses. So are they just leaving it there to rot? In most countries, researchers would be all over it, great opportunity. But I guess they're all busy in the southern oceans.

As for the quake warning theory- NZ gets tons of cetacean strandings, far more than they ever get quakes, and New England gets a fair few and they're not really in a quake zone at all.

Although it is not clear how the whale entered Tokyo Port, the Tokyo Coast Guard Office believes its tail or other body parts may have somehow gotten trapped in the propeller of a large freighter, which carried it there.

The high seas can be a danger place. And if the behaviuor of a vessl is causing distress to another vessel, they should be delt with, end of story. They have no right to cause dmage or place other vessls in danger etc. NONE!